Santi Smart Seal Dry Glove O-Rings

[rvojr]

Does anyone have experience with this dry glove system? How do the o-rings hold up? Have any luck sourcing the o-rings without buying the whole kit? I'm assuming they are metric and EPDM(since Kubi orings are this material).

 

[laikabear]

Does anyone have experience with this dry glove system? How do the o-rings hold up? Have any luck sourcing the o-rings without buying the whole kit? I'm assuming they are metric and EPDM(since Kubi orings are this material).

Hi there. Why do you want to source the O rings separately? Below is my experience with the Smart Seals and Smart Gloves.

Santi's name for things can be a little confusing. Smart SEALS are installed on a Santi suit as a factory option, and allow you to swap out wrist seals, and you may use any type of wrist seal. They don't allow mounting of dry gloves directly.

Santi has 2 dry glove products (that I know of):

Magic Rings, which have several options and different O-rings. You can use them as mounted gloves or pull-over gloves. I don't have experience with these.

Smart GLOVES are the mounting system for dry gloves that is compatible with the Smart Seals system. This is what I have on my Santi drysuit.

I've used the Smart Seals with wet gloves for a while, but then switched to the Smart Gloves dry glove system, which has been great. I dive about weekly to every other week and have about 100 dives on the dry gloves. The system has held up really well so far. I don't know what size the O rings are, and I haven't had to replace them. I do know from experience that trying to source an individual part from Santi and get it into the US, even if you are a dealer, is a total nightmare. Santi doesn't have good customer service in my experience.

One thing about the Smart Gloves system that is essential, is to lube the gloves where they snap on. If you don't do this (I do it with either water soluble lube or, better yet, silicone grease) before every couple of dives, then the gloves become very difficult to snap on. The rings are softer than most dry gloves, and they kind of smoosh around and just don't want to lock into place, and then you could get a leak. If you keep the glove side lubed every dive day, they are easy to snap on. They are always easy to take off. No pry bar needed. Other than that quirk they are really easy to use and I love them.

I started out using some black latex gloves (like dishwashing gloves) from Ebay in the rings. They are easy to install and cheap, but not as durable as the gloves I use now. Some examples of those are Mapa NS-420, Showa Chemical Resistant 723, and Ansell Chemical Resistant Gloves G17K. Those 3 are all pretty similar. I haven't ordered any of those lately but I found them on Ebay. I think the Showa ones might be discontinued now.

The gloves I use now are Showa 720s, which are blue and made of nitrile. You can find them on Ebay or Amazon. They are tougher and warmer than the latex gloves, slightly more expensive but still cheap. They are a bit harder to mount. This is how I mount my Showa 720s. It works for me.

Some claim the gloves leak or seep water when mounted that way and want to do it this (harder) way. I haven't had a problem so I don't do this (but I wear size medium gloves and larger gloves might be the reason for the leak). This is the way you have to mount the Showa 720s on the Waterproof Ultima rings, which is what my other drysuit has. I had to have a generous friend mount them for me because I don't have the grip strength.

I wear wool gloves from Amazon as liners and they are very warm, and still retain some warmth when wet if you hole a glove.

Overall, if you have a Santi suit with Smart Seals and are getting the Santi Smart Gloves system, I can say I'm happy with it and it's working well for me.

 

[taimen]

How do the o-rings hold up? Have any luck sourcing the o-rings without buying the whole kit? I'm assuming they are metric and EPDM(

The o-rings hold up very well. Actually I haven't heard anyone having to replace them.
Any general seal supplier should be able to sell replacement rings. Nitrile or EPDM are equally good for that application.

 

[rvojr]

Thank you for the great advice. I was looking at the system and thought the o-rings would eventually break. I'm trying to plan ahead before the dive season. I bought the Rothco wool gloves 70/30 which are about the same just not as nice. Did you carry any spares for this system with you or just buy a second dry glove kit?

I'm not great with calipers especially with a flexible ring.
.115" thickness 3.3" diameter outside to outside
.170" thickness 3.45" diameter outside to outside

It isn't easily matching up to standard metric sizes. EPDM on Mcmaster carr doesn't get that large either.

 

[taimen]

I have two kits, because I wanted to have two pairs of different gloves mounted. I have only one set of wrist rings attached and have about 200 dives with them. Haven't had any issues with o-rings (they don't show any wear at all at this point) and usually do not carry spares with me (I have spared from the other set).
I think that the o-ring doesn't get that much wear in Santi Smartglove design.
For o-rings, I go to a local hydraulic/seal/etc. industrial supply company. The guys act uninterested when I tell them what I need, then reluctantly measure my sample and finally get the stuff from their warehouse. To be honest, I have not checked if they have this particular ring. Anyway they have a HUGE invetory. There are companies like this in all major cities.

 

[rvojr]

I made notes but I'll wait on ordering them from McMaster. 9262k756 and 1302N693 in Buna-N is only material available in that large of a size.